Legislative Direction and Regulation according to the Decision to be Nonconforming to the Constitution of the Crimes of Abortion

Abstract

Purpose: On April 11, 2019 (2017Hun-Ba127 decision), the Constitutional Court ruled that the “self-abortion” and “Abortion by Doctor” in the Criminal Act were nonconforming to the Constitution because they limit women’s right to self-determination. Abortion is one of the provisions of Article 10 of the Constitution, the right to self-determination derived from the dignity and value of human beings. On the other hand, the state also has an obligation to protect the life of the fetus. The purpose of this study is to examine foreign legislative cases related to abortion in order to harmoniously resolve the basic rights of the pregnant woman and the fetus in order to meet the request of the Constitutional Court, and to suggest a legislative direction to remove the unconstitutionality of the criminal abortion crime. In addition, we would like to examine the Maternal and Child Health Act for coherence of the legal system. Method: Whether or not to punish abortion is one of the issues that have been controversial in society so far. If the punishment for the crime of abortion is completely banned, the right to life of the fetus may be neglected. To this end, first, I would like to review the contents of the Constitutional Court s decision on the punishment for the crime of abortion. Second, the current state of punishment for abortion is reviewed by reviewing foreign comparative laws on the crime of abortion. Third, the legal, medical, moral, and religious perspectives on punishment for abortion are reviewed. Fourth, based on the discussion so far, I would like to suggest the direction of legislation for the punishment of abortion crimes. Results: The punishment for abortion should not be viewed as a choice between a woman s right to self-determination and the fetus s right to life. Revision of the law should be made in the direction of recognizing and protecting the two legal interests. Article 15 of the current Enforcement Decree of the Maternal and Child Health Act stipulates that abortion is permitted within 24 weeks. However, it is reasonable to refer to the government s legislation and decide whether to allow it based on the 22 weeks of pregnancy, which is the period when the fetus can survive independently, or based on the 3·3·3 principle or reasons for adaptation. In addition, economic and social factors and the period of deliberation should be considered. Conclusion: Punishment for abortion is structured in a way that women s right to self-determination and the basic right of the fetus to life are in conflict. In order to resolve these conflicts harmoniously and constitutionally, political, economic, social and cultural integration must be achieved by stipulating in detail the permissible scope of abortion, when it is permitted, the procedure and method of permissible abortion.